Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/110301
14 ��� MARCH 2013 ��� WORLD FENCE NEWS We recently spoke with Dawn Fulmer Rivera of Sunstate Gate Inc. in Englewood, Florida, who told us that the past season ended up ���pretty good.��� She said that the company business mix is 50% commercial and 50% residential. The company basically focuses on gated communities for the bulk of their business. They service three counties within a 100 mile radius, including Englewood, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Boca Grande, Fort Myers, Venice, North Post, Osprey, Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Ellenton and Palmetto. The company, in addition to doing custom gates, does residential fencing, residential gates, commercial fencing, commercial gates, access control and barrier arms, and telephone entry. We then asked Dawn ��� going back to the start of the recession, probably 2008 ��� how has the economic downturn affected the company in the long term? She told us that the company is still in operation (always a good thing!) and has acted more cautiously in day-to-day dealings. We also asked how their approach to advertising has changed, and we were told that the FENCER���S FIELD REPORT A monthly column of industry bits & pieces Compiled by contributing editor Jim Lucci and the staff of World Fence News company has changed to being more flexible in their advertising approach; they are using the internet more and reducing their Yellow Pages presence. We then asked how the labor situation was in the area, and whether or not it was hard to find good help when needed. Dawn told us that it is very hard to find decent and qualified help. What they have had to do is increase the hours of work for her people when the situation calls for that. We also asked what the competitive situation was like in their service area, and Dawn told us that it wasn���t really that big a problem, since they are noted for being gated community specialists. We then asked what she thought the outlook for 2013 would be in her area for her business. Dawn, very succinctly, replied that she did not expect it to change greatly. We further asked what the overall economy was like in the area, and she said she thought it was driven by tourists, but it was not too bad. She continued that she felt it would continue pretty much as is. There have been a lot of foreclosures in the area, but there was some re-bounding in housing of late. Finally, we asked about the company strategy for 2013, and we were told that it would remain basically the same. They will keep on doing what they are doing and working their specialty, which is gates and gated communities. We also spoke with Greg Tennikatt of Superior Fence Co. in Cottage Hills, Illinois, who told us that this past season ended up being a good year. The company business mix at the time we spoke was 50% residential and 50% commercial. Greg told us that the company has been a family owned business since 1962, and that after his father died in December of 2000, he took over the business. On the commercial side, we were told that the company does work for the city and parks department, as well as with colleges. They do backstops and, to quote Greg, ���a whole lot of odd stuff.��� As he told us, when people have projects that they don���t want to do, or have no idea how to do, he gets a call and then adds to the list of ���odd stuff.��� The company���s service area is a 75 mile radius and its product offerings include signs, curved and straight stair rails, balcony rails, railings for porches, patios and decks, gates and operators, walk gates, fences, window guards, wine-cellar gates, etc. On the residential side, vinyl has continued on page 24 Hammer post driver from Danuser is designed for easy one-person operation continued from page 12 auger systems since 1943. The company manufactures several attachments for various equipment, serving several industries worldwide. For more information visit www.danuser.com, call 573-642-2246 or e-mail sales@danuser.com. DIG IN to all your earth drilling projects with power applications and rugged terrain, productivity to tackle large jobs or reliability you need on every project ��� Little Beaver has it all. DIG IN safely, cleanly and ef���ciently with Little Beaver. 80 0 -227-7515 Towable Hydraulic Earth Drills Mechanical Earth Drills UN-Towable Hydraulic Earth Drills Hydraulic Earth Drills